Well ASX 200 earnings season is in full swing, and we have certainly seen some dramatic reports so far. Some of the most watched metrics when an ASX share reveals its earnings is what kind of dividend income is coming investors' way in the next few weeks.
Not only does a dividend give an insight into the financial health of a company, but investors just like to see that passive income in their hands.
Some ASX 200 shares have given investors a dividend pay cut this season, such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL). But let's discuss four ASX 200 shares that have gone the other way and ramped up their dividend payments for investors.
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4 ASX 200 dividend shares upping their payouts in 2023
Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)
ASX 200 blue chip Woolworths is first up. Woolies delighted its investors with its latest dividend announcement on Wednesday. The grocery giant will be forking out a fully-franked 46 cents per share in April.
That's a good 17.9% higher than the interim dividend of 39 cents that investors received last year. But it comes in at the same level as Woolies' interim dividend from 2021. At yesterday's close, Woolworths stores now have a dividend yield of 2.49%.
Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)
And that brings us to Woolworths' arch-rival Coles. Coles also upped its dividend game this earnings season. The supermarket operator announced its own earnings on Tuesday this week, and these also included a dividend boost for investors.
Coles paid out an interim dividend of 33 cents per share in 2022, but announced a hike of its own this week, with investors now in line to bag a fully-franked 36 cents per share interim dividend in 2023. That's the largest dividend Coles has paid out since listing on the ASX in 2018.
That's a 9.1% boost though, which isn't quite as large of an increase as Woolies managed. Coles now trades on a dividend yield of 3.69%.
Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC)
Another ASX 200 share giving investors a pay rise this earnings cycle is the healthcare heavyweight Ramsay. This company used to have one of the best dividend streaks on the ASX, raising its payouts every single year between 2000 and 2019. Alas, the pandemic sadly brought this to an end in 2020.
But Ramsay seems to be getting back on that horse, and just yesterday announced a fully-franked interim dividend of 50 cents per share for 2023. That's a 3% increase over 2022's corresponding dividend of 48.5 cents per share. Ramsay shares are yielding 1.43% right now.
Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)
Our final ASX 200 share worth checking out today is another healthcare share in Medibank Private. Medibank was another ASX stock that reported yesterday. In these earnings, the insurer revealed an interim dividend of 6.3 cents per share, fully franked.
That's a rise of 3.28% over 2022's interim dividend of 6.1 cents per share. Medibank is another ASX 200 share that is building up a solid dividend streak. It paid out 12 cents per share in total in 2020, 12.7 cents per share in 2021 and 13.4 cents in 2022.
With this latest dividend, it is on track to raise its annual total in 2023 as well. Medbank shares have a dividend yield of 4.09% today.
